pollination ecology

Question 1

where is pollen transferred?

Answer 1

to stigma during pollination

Question 2

who benefits from pollination

Answer 2

either the plant or pollinator, or both, can be mutually exclusive or balanced

Question 3

specialization vs generalization

Answer 3

specialized plants are only pollinated by a few while generalized plants are only pollinated by many

Pollinators are also specialized and generalized

Question 4

self pollination

Answer 4

occurs within plant through wind/water (anemophily/hydrophily)

Question 5

cross pollination

Answer 5

occurs through biotic agents

Question 6

ambophily

Answer 6

combination of both wind and insect pollination

Question 7

wind pollination characteristics

Answer 7

many flowers, small or absent petals, unscented flowers, open habitats, high gene flow, temperate distribution

Question 8

animal pollination characteristics

Answer 8

few flowers, large petals, scented flowers, styles solid, nectaries present, few pollsn grains, many ovules per flower, low gene flow, occur in tropical climates

Question 9

what participates in anemophily

Answer 9

grasses, rushes, temperate trees

Question 10

what is true about grass flower pollen?

Answer 10

It is light and rarely sticky

Question 11

pollen ovule ratio in wind vs insect pollination

Answer 11

wind ratio is much higher and travels much farther

Question 12

hydrophily characteristics

Answer 12

flowers are small and inconspicuous, lots of large pollen grains, feathery stigmas, pollen grain may germinate

uncommon

Question 13

why are pollinators attracted to flowers?

Answer 13

rewards such as nectar which provides sugar and amino acids and pollen which provides protein

Question 14

nectar content depending on pollinators

Answer 14

bees and flies- oil rich

birds and lepidopteran - starch rich

secondary metabolites and yeast also in nectar

Question 15

how are pollinators attracted to flowers?

Answer 15

Through shape, color, scent, and sound

Question 16

floral bract function

Answer 16

act as attractors

Question 17

nectar guides

Answer 17

show animal where to find nectar, can function through UV light

Question 18

how do flower colors vary over time?

Answer 18

older flowers fade usually and darken to act as nectar guide to young flowers

Question 19

how do flowers limit unwanted visits such as nectar robbing?

Answer 19

change in flower shape and varying the reward

Question 20

buzz pollination

Answer 20

extracting pollen via vibrating anthers at an appropriate frequency, because anthers are sealed except for small pores

Question 21

coevolution

Answer 21

plant and pollinator are totally dependent on one another

Question 22

pollination strategy

Answer 22

varies between pollinators based on species and insects, some animals better at pollinating than others (bees pollinate a plant the most that is visited mostly by moths and butterflies)

Question 23

what is true about scent emission by plants

Answer 23

it can change and evolve in response to local pollinator assemblages

Question 24

coloration function

Answer 24

functions in defense and attracting pollinators

Question 25

ploidy level

Answer 25

also impacts pollinator preference

Question 26

how are pollinators predicted?

Answer 26

by flower color, flower structure, presence of nectar, and odor, (ex. bees are poor at seeing red and prefer large/sticky pollen)

Question 27

bee pollination

Answer 27

poor at seeing red, prefer sweet and spicy odor, use nectar guides, large and sticky pollen

Question 28

bird pollination

Answer 28

odor is not as important as visual, pollen is large and sticky, they are sensitive to red, long tubular corolla present to accommodate for long beaks

Question 29

butterflies pollination

Answer 29

odor is not as important as visual, pollen is sticky and large, diurnal, can see red

Question 30

moth pollination

Answer 30

white to pale yellow, sweet odor, nocturnal, pollen is large and sticky

Question 31

bat pollination

Answer 31

nocturnal, odor is fruity/musky

Question 32

beetle pollination

Answer 32

bowl shaped flowers, odor is important

Question 33

flies myophily/ sapromyophliy

Answer 33

myophily- pollination of plants by flies

sapromyophily - flowers that look and smell like dung or rotten meat

Question 34

lemur

Answer 34

world’s largest pollinators, pollinate the traveler’s tree, unique ability to open the trees flowers